Scripture Reflection, September 28, 2025, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amos 6:1a, 4-7 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Luke 16:19-31

When I was on the pastoral staff, I enjoyed interviewing the students who were preparing for confirmation. I often asked them to tell me about their service experience. Over and over again, they told me how moved they were by helping out at food kitchens, and the like. Their eyes were opened when they saw firsthand that many people did not live the kind of life they did.

Today’s gospel shows us the opposite, an example of someone who remained oblivious to the need of another and God‘s opinion about that. In the gospel, a rich man seemingly steps right over poor, hungry, sick Lazarus at his gate and lives his own comfortable life. Clueless. Unaware.

Science tells us that we seem to be hardwired for altruism. In spiritual terms, that means we are made to care for one another, to notice the suffering of others and feel moved to do something about it. When we render direct service, we are practicing the works of charity. When we ask hard questions about why these people suffer, we do the work of justice. Both are necessary responses to the world around us,… to the children losing school lunches, to the immigrant seeking asylum, to the veteran losing housing, to the sick losing healthcare.

We can differ in our opinions about how to best help our brothers and sisters who are poor, sick, unhoused, or aliens in our land. That is a matter of public policy. But we ignore them, neglect to care for them, at our own peril. That is a matter of the gospel… Just ask the rich man.

by: Pat Schnee, OPA